Just as Amazon prepared to launch its latest group of Kuiper internet satellites, a technical issue forced a halt to the operation.
The launch was scheduled for Monday afternoon from Cape Canaveral. With roughly 30 minutes remaining before liftoff, United Launch Alliance (ULA) paused the countdown after detecting an unexpected rise in temperature in a booster engine purge line on their Atlas V rocket.
ULA has not announced a new launch date yet. The company said teams will inspect the hardware, assess the observation and provide an update once the issue has been evaluated.
This mission had already experienced a delay: an earlier attempt planned for Friday was postponed due to unfavorable weather, moving the window to Monday.
Project Kuiper is Amazon’s satellite broadband initiative, intended to compete with systems like SpaceX’s Starlink. The goal is to deliver high-speed, affordable internet worldwide, targeting underserved areas such as rural villages, mountainous regions, and locations affected by natural disasters where conventional networks may be damaged or unavailable.
Amazon aims to deploy up to 3,236 satellites by 2029. As part of an incremental rollout, the company plans to begin offering service by the end of this year once about 1,000 satellites are in orbit.
Building and launching a large satellite constellation is costly and complex. Amazon has committed more than $10 billion to launch contracts and secured over 90 launches across several providers, including ULA, Blue Origin, ArianeGroup and SpaceX.
The satellite internet market is increasingly competitive. Starlink already serves more than a million customers worldwide, and Kuiper’s entry is expected to provide additional choices and potentially lower prices for consumers and businesses in areas with limited connectivity.
(Image credit: ULA)
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